A\N: This is a story I have been working on and I hope you like it. Enjoy!
Home of Troy and Lucille Bolton
Summer
1991
"Gabriella?
He listened for that perky giggle he knew would escape from her mouth, thus revealing her hideout. That's why she was so terrible at playing hide- and- go- seek.
The twelve year old would close his eyes and count to ten and after making sure she was settled in her hideout he would pretend to not know where she was then ultimately catch her at the same exact place, behind Lindy-the horse. But as the summers progressed and their minds developing her secret spots changed and got more mature and well, hard to find. But the one thing that he could count on, the one thing that always gave her away was her giggle.
"Gabriella?" he asked again, he listened, but the only thing he heard was the quacking of the chickens and the occasional grunt from Mrs. Ellie's pigs- the lady that paid his father once a month to look after her "babies" while she visited her ailing sister in the city.
"Gabriella!" he grew agitated and worried, she was almost never this quiet when they were playing a game. In fact the ten year never shut up, but he liked her like that. He walked to the barn and heard small painful cries from inside.
"Gabi?" walking past the horses he saw huddled in the corner holding onto her foot. He ran to her and immediately got down on his feet.
"Hey" he stroked her hair and saw the painful look her face bore and the tears that fell down her cheeks.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"It hurts"
"What"
"It hurts Troy"
She held on to her leg and only then did he notice the blood that streamed from her foot and nearly as far to the nearest stable. She cried still holding her leg.
"What happened?" he asked
"I was running then my dress got caught in one of the stables and my foot fell on nail"
"It's gonna be okay"
"It hurts really bad Troy"
"I know"
He gradually turned her leg to his view and observed it, the nail was almost fully in and he knew he had to get help. It freaked him out just as much.
"Wait here I'm gonna go-"
"No you can't"
"Mama can help; she'll be real gentle, I swear"
"No she told me to wear my shoes but I didn't listen, Troy you have to help me"
"I can't"
"Troy please, it hurts" she looked at him, her eyes pleading with his
"'Kay but don't be a baby"
She nodded and he took a deep breath and took off his shirt, he sat down and laid her leg on his thigh.
"Be better if you close your eyes"
"Okay"
"Just think of Billy Crystal"
She opened her eyes "But I don't like Billy Crystal"
"Then Edmond James" he said
"You know James only had one hit in '87"
"Who do you want to think of then?"
"The Virgins"
"I thought you hated that group?"
"Not after that dance hit, Silly Maggie"
He softly wiped the blood with a strip of his shirt and wrapped her foot with the other
"It's out?" she asked not believing
"Yeah"
"But how"
He helped her stand and wrapped her hand around his shoulder to help her walk "Because every time I bring up Billy you started fighting and get all worked up"
"I don't do that"
"Yeah you do"
"Do not"
"I swear the older you get the babier you become"
He helped her out the barn and out to the house "Just because you're twelve now does not make you smarter than me"
"Yeah, it does, and since you're ten it means I will always be smarter than you"
He helped her up the steps and opened the door "Don't tell your mom okay"
"You know I won't" he whispered before his mother came and asked them twenty one questions.
It was two weeks before summer would end and Gabriella had to pack her bags before her father would honk the truck outside. Her suitcase lay open on the bed and she neatly folded all her dresses and jeans, just like her mother had said a lady should pack her suitcase. But she was only ten, she wasn't a lady and quite frankly it would be a lot faster to just throw everything in, but doing that would mean less time to say goodbye to Troy.
Troy's mother entered the room holding a jar of cookies "I made you your favorite"
"Thanks Aunt Lucy" she took the jar and put it next to her case
"Say hello to your mother for me"
"I will"
The old woman's lips quivered and she embraced the little girl, holding on tight. She let go and gave Gabriella a heartwarming smile before walking out. She packed the last clothes that were left and zipped the case. She laid it on the floor and moments later Troy came in.
"Hey" he said
"Hey"
He sat down and she sat beside him. "You packed all your stuff yet?"
"Yeah, my Dad's gonna be here in a couple of minutes"
He looked down; he could never look at her when she was leaving, for some reason the fun loving boy she knew suddenly was all serious and not so loving
"You forgot something"
She turned around searching for the thing she had forgotten, "No I'm sure I packed everything"
"Here" he opened his hands and there she saw the one thing he treasured in the whole world, the cap he had got from the first baseball game he went to.
"But you love this cap"
"I know, that's why I'm giving it to you" he said still looking down
"Thanks Troy"
They heard a hard honk outside and both knew it was time to let go. Troy fiddled with his hands, what could he say?
"You should go" he finally said
They heard another harsh noise coming from outside and Troy's mom came in "Gabriella"
Although she didn't want to she stood and held the jar in her hands while his mother held the suitcase and carried it downstairs. She walked to the door and stood there, waiting for him, she always waited for him to say something that would make her stay. At age ten her mind had aged a lot faster than her age and though she was too young to understand it she knew she felt something for the twelve year old boy. But what she didn't know was how he felt for her. She waited but all he did was fiddle with his greased hands.
"Bye Troy"
She said and closed the door behind her. He heard her walk down the stairs and out the door. He stood and walked towards the mirror and saw her father angrily closing the boot and yelling at her for taking so long. He always seemed to be in a mood, most of the time bad. She got in the car and waved to Lucille who stood in the driveway wiping a tear.
"Please stay..." he whispered as the car started down the street. He always stood by the window and prayed by next summer his feelings would go away.
HOME OF MARIA AND GREGG MONTEZ
It had been two weeks since she had returned and things she had not changed. She would hope that by her being gone every summer they would fix their problems but every time she came back the fighting only seemed to worsen. She sat in her room trying to block the noise.
"Don't talk to me like that"
"Or WHAT HUH? WHAT?"
She heard her mother cry out in pain and fall to the floor.
"Stay there" she heard him say before he stormed out the house. She let go of the pillows she was holding on to and opened the door. Walking to the kitchen she heard her mother sobbing. Gabriella stood by the door "Mom"
"Go to sleep sweetheart"
"Did Daddy hu-"
"Gabriella! Go to sleep"
Marshall Edwards Elementary
It was first break and she and Nancy Jacobs sat in the table where they always sat, by the corner. It was rather secluded from the rest of the tables, that's why it was perfect. Nancy was eleven and was much more mature then she was. Her breasts were starting to kick in while hers were non-existent, although having none helped when she played soccer with the rest of the boys. She opened her lunch box and smiled when she saw her mother had packed her a slice of pizza from last night. Nancy taking a bite of her apple stared at Gabriella oddly.
"What" Gabriella asked the eleven year old
"Are you really going to eat that?"
"Yeah it's lunch"
"I would die" she said taking a sip of her water
"From eating pizza?"
"Do you know who Lizzie Peters is?"
"Yeah she's the smartest kid in the sixth grade"
"And she's the fattest kid in the school; boys don't look twice at a fat girl"
"I'm only ten"
"Yeah I was just like you last year and now look at me" she held on to her chest "They get bigger every day" she said admiring them. Gabriella touched her chest
"Don't worry you're just a late bloomer"
Daniel McIntosh and his gang came by and they bombarded the table "I'd love to be those hands" he said to Nancy who still was holding her chest
"Yeah well dream on" she said closing her lunchbox
"Every time I do, I wake up wet, if you know what I mean"
"You pee yourself?" she asked not understanding why they all laughed when she asked an innocent question.
"Shut up airhead" Daniel said sitting down next to Nancy. They talked and flirted while his passé waited behind him like sheep. She closed her lunchbox and grabbed the bottle. She twisted it but it was too tight again, her mother always closed the thing too tight even when Gabriella told her not to. She tried twisting it again but to no use.
"Here let me help you" Ethan Andrews offered while he sat beside her
"Thanks" she said as he twisted and opened the bottle with ease
"Sure thing" he said and smiled at her. She didn't understand it; he never showed any interest to her before, so what changed?
Home of Lucille and Troy
Summer
"Troy"
It was cloudy outside and we were in the barn feeding the horses "Troy"
"What"
"Don't laugh okay"
"Why would I do that?" he asked paying half attention to her and the other to the horse
"Because whenever I ask you a question you laugh"
"That's not true; I only laugh at the stupid ones"
"Troy"
"Okay" he put the bucket down and stood next to her "What" he asked her sincerely
"…What's a wet dream?"
"What?"
"What's a wet dream?"
He tried to stifle a laugh "Forget it" she said walking out
"Wait" he ran outside to her and caught her by the steps of the house "Wait"
"I knew you'd laugh"
"Okay I'm sorry, sit I'll tell you"
She sat down next to him "First where did you hear that?"
"Some boys in school were talking about it"
"What makes you think I know?"
"Because you're thirteen and you're a boy"
"It's gonna be hard, you don't even know what sex is"
"I know what sex is"
He crossed his arms and waited "It's when a girl and boy kiss"
"You're eleven how can you not know what sex is?" he asked
"I'm eleven okay! And besides mom doesn't let me watch anything later than seven" she said defensively. He let go of his arms and sighed and minutes later stood and walked to the door.
"D'you wanna know or not"
She stood and they went to his bedroom. He closed the door and she sat on his bed
"Raw or buttery?"
"Raw" she said not knowing exactly how raw he would be
"Alright, there's a penis and a vagina"
"Troy!" she scolded
"What, I learnt this in health class, it's not like I picked it up in the street" he said and she swallowed some fear and listened
"In sex the man enters his penis into a woman's vagina and two weeks later hello little Gabi"
"Okay"
"And a wet dream is when a boy reaches puberty and he dreams of doing it with a super hot babe but can't so that little "water" that is used to make little Gabi is spilt making you wet"
"Why are you using me?"
"Because I'm not gonna use me that would be disgusting"
"…Have you had a wet dream?"
"…D-d-does it matter, you know what it is now"
"…Have you had a girlfriend?"
"No, what about you?"
"You're it" she hit him and ran out the door
Abraham Lincoln High School
1994
It was not a shocker to know that Daniel McIntosh and Nancy hooked up when high school started. They would hang around each other; well it was mostly Daniel around Nancy's body. The time during elementary and high school her breasts had grown tremendously and she looked like a regular model. Her hair had perfect highlights and her shoes got a little higher, her curves were just right. Her clothes were of the latest trends. She was perfect, the ideal girl, while Gabriella in her opinion at least was the ideal tomboy; T-shirt and pants, long hair, not to mention her body. The only time she felt comfortable in her skin was when she was feeding the horses with Troy in the barn. Nancy dating Daniel meant she had to see him more than she wanted to, but being mean as he was he had grown to accept her presence. They stood by the lockers kissing.
Gabriella grabbed her textbooks and slammed her locker shut.
"They kinda piss you off don't they?" Ethan said as they walked to homeroom
"Yeah, no kidding"
"Try to ignore them, at least that's what I do" he said
"Thanks"
They entered the class and fortunately for her his seat was right behind hers
"Hey" he pat her shoulder and she turned "D's parents are out of town and his older brother's throwing a party this weekend, you wanna come?"
"A party?"
"You know, music, dancing, a party"
"I doubt my mom will let me come"
"Please, I need a date, I can't go all alone"
"You're asking me out on a date?"
"Yes"
"….What time is it?"
They sat in her room and Nancy was helping her to get ready. Nancy had eagerly volunteered her services and told Daniel to fetch her at Gabriella's place as well.
"….And my work is done"
"How do I look?"
"Like a girl"
She opened her eyes and the reflection she was accustomed to every morning for thirteen years was no longer her own. Her hair was tied loosely with strands of hair falling down her face. Her eyes seemed wider and fuller and the purple "Smokey" eye Nancy had done looked incredible.
"Nancy I look…"
"I know, now the dress" Nancy grabbed the dress from the coat hanger she had brought and handed it to her
"Put it on"
"No this is way too short, my mom will never let me walk out the door"
"That's why they invented a thing called coats, now go"
The house was filled with people dancing to the loud song that was playing. Some were kissing in the corner and others vomiting in the other, definitely what she had imagined teenage parties were like.
"Do you wanna go someplace quiet?" Ethan asked her
"Yeah" she yelled trying to hear her own voice. He led her up the stairs and into the last room in the first floor, not seeing Daniel and the rest of the gang high-five each other while Nancy pulled him in to kiss her.
She sat on the bed and he sat next to her, the silence deafening.
"Thanks for the drink"
"No problem"
He looked down and she could tell he wanted to say something
"Gabriella"
"Yeah"
"You're probably gonna think I'm crazy but…I like you, a lot"
"You do?"
"Yeah, ever since I met you in GM elementary I've had a thing for you and I didn't know what to do with those feelings then, but" he took her hand "I do know"
"Ethan I-"
"Shh you don't have to say anything now"
He leaned in to kiss her and she found herself closing her eyes. Ever since they had came into the room Troy was running through her mind but the moment she felt Ethan Andrews's lips on hers all she thought was how much her heart was pounding.
Three and half some years later she and Ethan were nominated as the second hottest couple in Abraham Lincoln High and due to that her popularity was now existent and she had a lot more friends. Two in particular: Taylor and Sharpay. The four of them had built a strong friendship that could never be broken. While her boyfriend was fitting some extra training hours for the big game she and Taylor sat in Chemistry lab working on their assignments.
"So I guess you'll be cuddling around the whole time this summer with Ethan"
"Why"
"Hamptons, remember, vacation"
"Oh right… I can't go"
"Why not"
"I have to go to the country this summer"
"Why"
"What you mean why, I told you about the friend I visit every summer "
"I didn't think you'd miss a free trip to the Hamptons to milk cows"
"He only has horses and some chicken, and Mrs. Ellie's pigs"
"Gabriella do you hear yourself"
"Taylor I love him" she hadn't heard herself until Taylor gave her a non-believing look "As a friend, I love him as a friend"
"Ethan is gonna furious"
"No, he loves me way too much to be mad at me"
"WHAT!"
"It's only this summer"
"You want me to go alone?"
"You won't be alone Daniel and Nancy will be there"
"It's better to be alone than with those two" he said
"You see, now you're seeing the bright side"
"Gabriella I'm serious"
"Please Ethan"
He sighed "Fine"
"Thanks babe"
Home of Lucille and Troy
Summer
It was nearly sunset and the suns reflection was glowing beautifully on the water. They were walking by the pier and the air was cool and she knew she had made the right decision. Boats were driving in and owners tightened the boats and went out for a cigarette.
"It's so beautiful here" she said as they stopped and hang on to the railing watching the sun, water, boats and birds' scenery.
"Yeah that's why I got a job here"
"Really"
"Yeah, part time that is, and only after school, but every chance I have I come here"
She smiled and hooked her hands around his arm "I wish I could stay here forever"
"Maybe you can"
"What are you talking about?"
"Come on" he pulled her forward and into the dock. They walked towards one of the other boats that were immobile and she heard him pull out keys in his pocket. He led her on the boat
"Are we allowed to do this?" she asked
"I work here remember"
Troy walked towards the steering wheel and started it. She stood admiring the whole thing. She had definitely never felt at peace. While she was still entranced by the experience Troy noticed the clouds gather and humidity pick up steadily. He grabbed a second set of keys
"Will you open the house door for me?"
"Sure"
He told her which key it was and she pulled the jacket Troy had given her around her body while turning the handle with the free hand.
And the house was just as beautiful as the outside but warmer too. She took off the jacket and laid it on the kitchen counter. She poured water in the kettle and opened the cupboard to see if there were any foods she could make or attempt to make. Being sixteen had brought many challenges to her, one of them being forced how to cook. She examined the products and oddly enough they all seemed to be her favorite things. She grabbed some meatballs and Noodles, something quick and fast.
While setting the stove she heard the sudden fall of rain and the hard sound it made as it hit the flooring of the boat outside, outside, Troy.
She saw the door swing open and Troy came in and his whole body was wet. His clothes stuck to his skin and his short hair to his forehead.
"It's raining like crazy out there" he said taking his shirt off. She hadn't seen his body naked since he was twelve and now it had matured to the eighteen year old who stood in the living-room drying his upper body with a towel. She took a breath and tried to look away but she couldn't. He turned around and she noticed blood running down his shoulder.
"You're bleeding"
"What"
"Your back, you must have hit it with something"
"Oh shit"
"Do you have any antiseptics?"
"No"
"Where's the bathroom?"
"Straight down" he said trying to see the blood
"Don't touch it"
She said and walked down to the bathroom. She quickly came back with things he would not have thought of to fix his wound. She sat him down and started cleaning it.
"Does it hurt?"
"No" he winced
She smiled and shook her head "When will you ever get over your pride and tell me when something hurts"
"Because I'm a man and men don't say stuff like that"
"Just because you turned eighteen literally a week ago you think you're a man now?"
"Yes, I could kidnap you right now and ask for ten million ransom money if I wanted" he winced again as she wiped the cut
"Ten million? Is that all I'm worth to you?"
He turned his head and all the funny had drained from his voice when he said "No, you're worth my soul"
They were deep in eye-contact when Gabriella knew she had to break it, although her heart was begging her not to "Troy, you know you can't say stuff like that"
"Why not, we're not kids anymore"
"Because I have a boyfriend"
"Yeah I forgot" he said bitterly
"Troy" she begged him not to start
"Don't worry I won't"
"Thank you" she said as she bandaged the wound. While his back was facing her she remembered the first kiss she had shared with Ethan and she heard herself say "Kiss me"
He turned around "What"
"Kiss me"
He didn't understand what she was doing but he wouldn't question it. He held her face in his hands and as soon as she felt his wet lips on hers all the memories she had thought were long gone came flashing back. How she would feel every time his hand accidentally brushed on hers when they were feeding the horses when they were little. How she would always cry after every summer or playing hide and go seek with him. All the feelings she had shoved down were all out in the open like an open wound; vulnerable and easily hurt.
He let go of her and she missed his presence "I am suddenly so confused"
It didn't take long for him to kiss her again but this time she returned the same intensity and heat. He gently removed her top and kissed her shoulders. He kissed her shoulders and worked his way down. He kissed the back of her shoulder and the front of her chest. She held on to him as he unhooked her bra
"Wait, my body-"
"Is perfect"
She looked at his crystal blue eyes and smiled, man did she love him. He carried her to the bed and closed the door. After all undergarments had been discarded he lay on top and asked "Are you sure you want to do this?"
To be honest she wasn't but somehow she knew if she didn't give him all of her now she would never get another chance. She nodded and he softly moved inside her. And for that time, he had her heart completely.
She had spent an entire weekend with him and waking up next to him was way beyond fulfilling. They hadn't told his mom where they were and she had asked him to and he had said that he would, eventually. She wore his shirt while she sat in the living room reading a book, waiting for him to return with the coffee. Forty-five minutes since he had left she heard a loud knock on the door. Standing up she closed the book and the person knocked four more times before she reached the door. Opening it she was met with red angry eyes.
"Daddy"
"GET DRESSED NOW!"
Troy found the door wide open and vases thrown on the floor. He curiously stepped over the glass and put the coffee and muffins on the counter.
"Gabi" he yelled worried and seconds later she appeared, dressed and bruised
"Hey what happened?" he asked her as she looked down
"Gabi, what happened" he asked as agonizing scenarios crossed his mind. "Hey" he walked towards her and she looked up her face pink and blue "Baby, you're scaring me"
"YOU BASTARD!" her father walked out of the bedroom holding a sharp object in his hand
"Mr. Montez" Troy asked disbelieving and he charged up to him "I'LL KILL YOU"
"No sir please lis-"
"WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN SLEEP WITH MY DAUGHTER AND GET AWAY WITH IT"
"No that's not-"
Gregg hit him in the chest and he fell down "TROY!" she yelled out
Gregg hit him numerous times after that before Gabriella tried to stop him but he pushed her aside.
"DADDY STOP IT"
"DIE MOTHERFUCKER DIE"
"DADDY NO!"
Troy tried to shield himself but the pain was too much every hit took away a piece of his hope
"DADDY I LOVE HIM!" she yelled but he continued to hit him until the wooden plank turned bloody. She tried to stop him again but he shoved her aside harder and she fell to the floor. Gregg continued to hit him until Troy was no longer moving. She saw him stop and she ran to Troy and cried when she saw him lie still.
"Troy, Troy TROY" she shook him hard but he didn't wake, she grew mad with every second that she saw him still and blood streaming down.
TROY, PLEASE, I LOVE YOU, please wake up"
"Get up" he ordered
"No"
"GET UP" he forced her up and pulled her towards the door. "WALK" he ordered and she took one last look at him before she left her heart cut open next to him.
HOME OF MARIA AND GREGG MONTEZ
Arriving home her father grounded her for the rest of her high school life. And when her mother heard what happened through her husband's yelling voice she had not spoken a word to Gabriella. All the phones had been disconnected, so Gabriella could not hear what happened to Troy. She was more worried about him than herself. She had not known how much she loved him until now. Taylor had heard that Gabriella was back but when she tried to call her the line was always disconnected. Growing worried Taylor went to her house and knocked on the door. It was answered by Maria's blank expression.
Taylor knocked on Gabriella's bedroom door but no one answered though she could hear someone crying. "Gabriella, sweetheart" she opened the door and found her huddled in the corner.
"Gabi, what's wrong"
"Can I use your phone?" she jumped up
"Why"
"Taylor please" she stood desperately waiting for Taylor to give her the phone
"Sure" Taylor took out her cell phone and five seconds later the phone was already ringing. His mother's tired voice answered "Hello"
"Please tell me his alright"
"Please don't call here again" Lucille was about to hang up when she heard the girl pleading "Please…I just need to know if his alright"
"…His in ICU"
She took a deep breath "Thank you God, thank you"
"He wants to see you" Lucille said seconds later
"I can't leave"
"I'll call you when he's awake"
"I'll be here"
Lucille hung up and Gabriella fell in Taylor's arms. It felt like she was going to die. She had never felt so much pain in her life. Even Taylor's embrace couldn't soften the ache in her heart.
She had just managed to fall asleep when she felt Taylor's phone beep beside her "Hello" she said groggily.
"Baby"
She sat up "Troy"
"Ye-ah" his voice sounded weak and extremely tired "Y-you don't sound too g-good" he said and she smiled but it dropped as soon as it formed.
"Troy"
"I know, but things will get…better, I pp-romise"
"I'm scared" she said sobbing
"This is me putt-ting my pride away…it hurts"
"The Doctor will give you some pain meds you'll get be-"
"I don't mean physically" he said gaining strength but the volume only decreased with every word "…It hurts, a lot"
"Yeah, I've cried my eyes out" she said
"I wish we had more time"
"We will"
"No I can feel it, I feel Him"
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I love you"
She held on to the phone "I love you too Troy"
"I have to go"
"No wait-"
And the line went dead.
She thought she would be okay when she got the call two days later. Her eyes had widened and all sound lost meaning. The phone dropped from her hands and she fell to the floor. She struggled to breathe, all the normal instincts she battled to do. Her mother ran in and enquired what the matter was and she told her she couldn't breathe.
"I can't…bre, I can't…"
"Sit up straight" her mother helped her
"No I can't breathe…Mom I" she tried to take large chunks of air but it didn't seem to pass through her mouth. "Mom"
"I'm here"
She had tried to kill herself numerous times but either someone would stop her or she would just land in the hospital. She heard people tell her it would be alright and that she would wake up one day and the pain wouldn't be so bad, she just had to survive the present. For the funeral her mother laid her a beige dress with a black headpiece that covered most her face.
She didn't know how she felt; she didn't know if she was hurting or healing, she didn't know if she was holding back or just empty, emptiness, that sounded about right.
The service had started smoothly and people were filling in, local and out of towners. She sat on the steps of the church, hearing the choir sing the saddest song she had ever heard. People walked passed her sharing sympathetic smiles her way, which she returned none. It was too hard. She heard the priest open the service with a prayer and when she heard his name she couldn't breathe again. She stood and ran the five blocks to his house. All she wanted was him, and if she couldn't have that, what could she have? She ran passed his house and in the barn. She tried to catch her breath but she couldn't. She stroked the horses and felt her breathing gradually even.
She had always wanted to know whether he loved and now she did. She walked out of the barn and a tear fell down her face, knowing she had to move on whether she liked it or not.
YEARS LATER (Present)
Losing the first person I loved at sixteen was traumatic, and I don't think I'm still over it. But somehow I made it, barely, but I did. I remember waking up for six months and wishing someone would tell me it was just a dream, that he was okay. But they never did. I know because I waited for him to return. I loved him I still do and I always will. But today my life is great. I have two beautiful little girls and married a great man. Although I love my family and my husband, there's one face I see every night before I go to sleep. One laugh I still laugh hear whenever I blink; Troy's.
THE END.
Please comment and me what you thought. Much love
Thanks